The world of pop music has been littered with potholes of plagiarism. A hundred years ago, the song “Yes! We Have No Bananas” took the melody of G.F. Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus for a Tin Pan Alley refrain. George Harrison’s song “My Sweet Lord” was found to be too close in melody and structure to the…
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“Weird Al” Yankovic: Polkas, Parodies, and the Power of Satire
NOTE: This was originally published in Goldmine magazine in 2000. Article written by Chuck Miller. Al Yankovic strapped on his accordion, ready to perform. All he had to do was impress some talent directors, and he would be on The Gong Show, on stage with Chuck Barris and the Unknown Comic and Jaye P. Morgan…
Read MoreBeyoncรฉ’s “Jolene” challenged by Roy Orbison’s version of “Jolene”
In an unexpected twist that nobody saw coming, the country music world is stunned by a current “cover war” over the recording of Dolly Parton’s classic song “Jolene.” Over the weekend, Beyoncรฉ’s reinterpretation of the song “Jolene” slammed into the #1 spot on Spotify’s charts, as well as the #1 spot on Billboard magazine’s country…
Read MoreJoe and Paul – the bilingual song that was too risque for radio!
Several years ago, I discovered this incredible CD called The Yiddish Radio Project. The CD featured extremely rare transcription discs from the Jewish radio stations that populated New York City in the 1940’s. The discs contained commercials, radio dramas, talk programs and musical numbers – but mostly commercials. Lots and lots of commercials. Heck, I…
Read MoreHappy Convoy Day to all who celebrate!
Today is October the 4th, and on this day we celebrate one of the greatest songs of the 1970’s. That, of course, would be this little track. Yep. C.W. McCall’s classic “talking blues” record about truck drivers and citizens band radio lingo, “Convoy.” 10-4, good buddy … Get it? October 4? 10-4? Listen, if you’re…
Read MoreIt’s not Lou Reed … and it’s not Jefferson Airplane, either.
So last week, I penned a K-Chuck Radio blog post about artists and bands who use a similar name or nickname as other more famous artists or bands. You know, this blog post. Well, apparently … I missed one. And it’s a doozy. See, there was an Australian garage band in the 1960’s who took…
Read More“Shake the hand of a brand new fool.”
Over and over. Those eight words kept rumbling in my brain last night. Over and over. Every time I thought I could fall asleep … those eight words pulled me out of Slumberland Highway and parked me on a park bench. Background. Earlier in the day, while listening to one of my streaming audio channels…
Read More40 years later … Solid Rock and an autographed treasure.
The year was 1982. As a college student with a fresh radio spot on Hamilton College’s radio station WHCL, I penned an editorial that was later picked up by Billboard magazine. The article was read by a mobile DJ in Melbourne, Australia, who sent me a cassette tape of various Oz Rock artists that hadn’t…
Read MoreIf Moldova doesn’t win Eurovision, WE RIOT!!
I’ve heard about the Eurovision song contest. I’ve heard the results of the Eurovision song contest. I even watched that 2020 film on Netflix – that one with Will Ferrell, you know the one. So when I discovered that the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest was available for us American viewers via the Peacock streaming service,…
Read MoreThe last ride of the Rubber Duck. Rest in peace, C.W. McCall.
Bill Fries passed away last Friday. The former mayor of Ouray, Colorado lived to the ripe old age of 93. Prior to his political career, he worked in advertising, and had a successful campaign for a Nebraska-based bread. I knew him, however, as C.W. McCall. And most people knew C.W. McCall as the person behind…
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